   #copyright

Scott Special

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Railway transport

   The cover of a booklet released by the railway to commemorate the Scott
   Special. Theodore Roosevelt is depicted on a horse, though he did not
   witness the event.
   Enlarge
   The cover of a booklet released by the railway to commemorate the Scott
   Special. Theodore Roosevelt is depicted on a horse, though he did not
   witness the event.

   The Scott Special, also known as the Coyote Special, the Death Valley
   Coyote or the Death Valley Scotty Special, was a one-time,
   record-breaking (and the best-known) passenger train operated by the
   Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (Santa Fe) from Los Angeles,
   California, to Chicago, Illinois, at the request of " Death Valley
   Scotty". At the time of its transit in 1905, the Scott Special made the
   2,265  mile (3645  km) trip between the two cities at the fastest speed
   recorded to date; in doing so, it established the Santa Fe as the
   leader in high-speed travel between Chicago and the West Coast. The
   Scott Special made the trip in 44 hours and 54 minutes breaking the
   previous records, set in 1900 by the Peacock Special, by 13 hours and
   2 minutes, and in 1903 by the Lowe Special, by 7 hours and 55 minutes.
   Santa Fe's regular passenger service from Los Angeles to Chicago at the
   time was handled on a 2½-day schedule by the California Limited. It was
   not until the 1936 introduction of the Super Chief that Santa Fe trains
   would regularly exceed the speeds seen on the Scott Special.

Background

   Death Valley Scotty (born September 20, 1872, Walter Edward Scott) had
   used some ore samples he collected near Cripple Creek, Colorado, as a
   ruse to convince some bankers in 1902 that he had a claim on a
   high-grade ore mine in Death Valley, California. By 1905 he had conned
   the banks out of nearly $10,000. Another con he ran in 1905 earned
   Scott an additional $4,000. It was then that he met E. Burdon Gaylord,
   the owner of the Big Bell mine. Gaylord needed a flashy way to promote
   his mine and Scott sought the money behind the mine; the two formed a
   partnership where Gaylord would finance Scott and Scott would promote
   the mine like no other.

   After a few high-priced and newsworthy train trips around the
   southwest, Scott met with the Santa Fe's General Passenger Agent, J. J.
   Byrne at the railroad's office in Los Angeles on July 8, 1905. Once
   Scott (who had already travelled cross-country on the Santa Fe some
   thirty-two times) got in to talk to Byrne, the arrangements were made,
   thanks to a deposit from Scott of $5,500 in cash. The two agreed on a
   46-hour schedule from Los Angeles to Chicago that would begin the
   following day.

   The passenger list for the train was a mere four people: Scott himself,
   his wife, F. N. Holman, and C. E. Van Loon, a publicist for the Santa
   Fe. The schedule involved operating a three car train across the
   system, led by no less than 19 different locomotives (and the train was
   double-headed through some of the mountain passes). The engineers of
   these locomotives came to be known as the "Nervy Nineteen".

Equipment used

   Builder's photo (1901) of Santa Fe #1000, which was used on the
   Winslow-Gallup section of the Scott Special.
   Enlarge
   Builder's photo (1901) of Santa Fe #1000, which was used on the
   Winslow-Gallup section of the Scott Special.

   The special train consisted of three passenger cars pulled by one
   locomotive. The three cars used were baggage car #210, dining car
   #1407, and Pullman Muskegon. Altogether, the three cars weighed a total
   of 170  short tons (155  tonnes). While the three cars remained
   constant throughout the run of the Scott Special, the locomotive did
   not. In order to prevent delays on the trip as the train would need to
   stop for water and fuel, nineteen locomotives were prepared along the
   route so that as one reached the end of its supplies, it would relay
   the three cars off to the next fully fueled and ready locomotive to
   continue the run. For the more strenuous grades over Cajon Pass in
   California and Raton Pass in New Mexico and Colorado, helpers were
   added to get the train up and over the summits. At various points
   throughout the run, problems such as hotboxes did occur, or in one
   instance a complete mechanical failure of the locomotive, but in each
   case, the train's crew was able to get the train to the next relay
   point, and they usually arrived ahead of schedule.
   Locomotives and crews for the Scott Special
   Section Distance Average speed Time Locomotive number Wheel arrangement
   ( Whyte notation) Engineer Fireman
   Los Angeles - Barstow 141.1 mi (227.1 km) 48.5  miles per hour (78
   km\h) 2 hours 55 minutes 442 4-6-0 John Finlay C. B. Ashbaugh
   Barstow - Needles 169.3 mi (272.5 km) 51 mph (82.1 km/h) 3 h 19 m 1005
   2-6-2 Thomas E. Gallagher E. D. Nettleton
   Needles - Seligman 148.9 mi (239.6 km) 42.4 mph (68.2 km/h) 3 h 31 m
   1010 2-6-2 Fred W. Jackson H. Nelson
   Seligman - Williams 50.8 mi (81.8 km) 34.4 mph (55.4 km/h) 1 h 29 m
   1016 2-6-2 Charles Wood R. Edgar
   Williams - Winslow 92.2 mi (148.4 km) 42.1 mph (67.8 km/h) 2 h 11 m 485
   4-6-0 D. A. Lenhart W. P. Sugurue
   Winslow - Gallup 128 mi (206 km) 49.4 mph (79.5 km/h) 2 h 35 m 1000
   2-6-2 John F. Briscoe B. F. Chambers
   Gallup - Albuquerque 157.8 mi (254 km) 49.4 mph (79.5 km/h) 3 h 12 m
   478 4-6-0 Henry J. Rehder F. Brown
   Albuquerque - Las Vegas 132.2 mi (212.8 km) 44 mph (70.8 km/h) 3 h 0 m
   1211 4-6-2 Edward Sears G. A. Bryan
   Las Vegas - Raton 110.8 mi (178.3 km) 50.5 mph (81.3 km/h) 2 h 12 m
   1208 4-6-2 George A. Norman E. Chrystal
   Raton - La Junta 104.5 mi (168.2 km) 46.2 mph (74.4 km/h) 2 h 17 m 1215
   4-6-2 Hudson A. Gardner R. P. Hinze
   La Junta - Syracuse 100.8 mi (162.2 km) 63.7 mph (102.5 km/h) 1 h 35 m
   536 4-4-2 David Lesher William McClerkin
   Syracuse - Dodge City 101.6 mi (163.5 km) 62.2 mph (100.1 km/h) 1 h
   38 m 531 4-4-2 H. G. Simmons G. Davis
   Dodge City - Kent 153.4 mi (246.9 km) 57.9 mph (93.2 km/h) 2 h 39 m 530
   4-4-2 Edward Norton C. L. Gray
   Kent - Newton 1095 2-6-2 Oliver W. Halsey
   Newton - Emporia 73.1 mi (117.6 km) 62.6 mph (100.7 km/h) 1 h 10 m 526
   4-4-2 Hadley R. Rossetter Andy Fairchild
   Emporia - Argentine 120.2 mi (193.4 km) 57.3 mph (92.2 km/h) 2 h 10 m
   524 4-4-2 Josiah Gossard H. H. Hill
   Argentine - Marceline 108 mi (173.8 km) 54 mph (86.9 km/h) 2 h 1 m 547
   4-4-2 A. F. Bauer Robert Shirk
   Marceline - Shopton 112.8 mi (181.5 km) 55 mph (88.5 km/h) 2 h 3 m 542
   4-4-2 Richard Jones J. J. O'Connor
   Shopton - Chillicothe 104.7 mi (168.5 km) 62.3 mph (100.3 km/h) 1 h
   41 m 510 4-4-2 Charles Losee W. M. Schlosser
   Chillicothe - Chicago 134.3 mi (216.1 km) 61 mph (98.2 km/h) 2 h 12 m
   517 4-4-2

Route and schedule

   Route of the Scott Special from Los Angeles, California, to Chicago,
   Illinois.
   Enlarge
   Route of the Scott Special from Los Angeles, California, to Chicago,
   Illinois.

   The special departed from Santa Fe's La Grande Station in Los Angeles
   at 1:00 PM Pacific Time on July 9, 1905. The locomotive and three cars
   left the station and the cheering crowds, estimated at 20,000 people,
   and began its run eastward. The number of people at La Grande Station
   is remarkable in itself since the train's schedule was planned only one
   day before the event; the Santa Fe used the train as an opportunity to
   publicize itself and got the word out to news agencies across the
   railroad's territory.

   In rail transport terminology, the Scott Special operated as an "extra"
   train. Normally such trains are not allowed any special considerations
   for schedule and are switched into sidings to clear the main line for
   the railroad's regularly scheduled trains. For this run, however, the
   special was afforded rights over all of the railroad's regular trains;
   all other trains were required to clear the main line no less than one
   hour before the special was scheduled to pass. As most of the Santa Fe
   was still a single track railroad, this meant that quite a few regular
   trains were put into sidings to wait for the special. This
   accommodation, along with the numerous locomotive changes en route
   helped to ensure that the train would arrive in Chicago within the
   46-hour schedule.

   The first locomotive and crew change occurred in Barstow after the
   train had passed through Cajon Pass. At one point after passing Cajon
   summit, the train was clocked at 96  mph (155  km/h). The locomotive
   and crew were again changed successively at Needles, Seligman,
   Williams, Winslow and Gallup before the train arrived in Albuquerque,
   New Mexico at 9:30 AM on July 10.

   To cross Raton Pass, locomotives and crews were changed at Las Vegas,
   Raton and La Junta. From La Junta, the train was powered by a
   succession of 4-4-2 type locomotives that were swapped across the
   plains in Syracuse, Dodge City, Newton, Emporia, Argentine and
   Marceline to the Mississippi River crossing at Shopton, Iowa, near Fort
   Madison. Locomotive 530 was scheduled to take the train completely
   between Dodge City and Newton, but a burst cylinder head in Kent
   necessitated adding locomotive 1095 for the 26 miles (41.8 km) between
   Kent and Newton.

   En route, Scott and his guests enjoyed the finest meals that the Fred
   Harvey Company had to offer. Menu selections included such luxurious
   offerings as caviar, iced consommé, and Porterhouse steak à la Coyote.

   One more locomotive and crew took the train to Chillicothe where it
   made its final locomotive change for the last leg into Chicago.
   Engineer Charles Losee piloted the train for its entire run across
   Illinois, at an average speed of 60 mph (97 km/h), staying aboard the
   train during the locomotive change in Chillicothe. The train officially
   arrived at Dearborn Station at 11:54 AM Central Time on July 11.

Legacy and preservation

   The speed record set by the Scott Special stood for many years and was
   not beaten in regular service until the introduction of the Super Chief
   in 1936. What makes the Scott Special especially remarkable is that it
   was run under normal operating conditions.

          "[The] run was made under normal conditions of track, motive
          power, and equipment, and practically on a moment's notice. No
          racing machines were used. The locomotives were the plain,
          everyday kind, taken from regular runs and manned by employees
          taking their regular turn. To be sure, the main line was kept
          clear, and even the exclusive California Limited put on the side
          track. The Scott Special had the right-of-way. That was the only
          favour shown it, though the engineers understood they had
          permission to 'let her out a few notches,' and they did so, when
          they could with safety."

   In 1955, on the 50th anniversary of the special's run, the Scott
   Special was re-enacted for television. For the show " Death Valley
   Days", the production crew was able to reuse Santa Fe locomotive number
   1010, the 2-6-2 locomotive that was used in the original run between
   Needles and Seligman (and the only unit still on Santa Fe's active
   roster). Robert Hinze, a fireman on the original Scott Special, was on
   hand to aid in the recreation as the replica train worked over Cajon
   Pass in California. In October 1984, the Santa Fe donated locomotive
   1010 to the California State Railroad Museum, where it remains on
   static display.

   The 100th anniversary of the Scott Special was commemorated with
   localized events and interpretive displays along the train's route
   sponsored by various historical organizations. One such display was
   shown at Joliet, Illinois, by the Blackhawk Chapter of the National
   Railway Historical Society; the Scott Special passed Joliet just after
   11:00 AM on July 11, 1905.

   Today, Amtrak's daily Southwest Chief follows nearly the same route as
   the Scott Special. As of 2006, the Southwest Chief makes the journey in
   just under 43 hours, departing Los Angeles Union Station at 6:45 PM
   Pacific Time, and scheduled to arrive at Chicago Union Station at
   3:20 PM Central Time on the second day of the trip.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Special"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
